This invention relates to hand pumps used in dispensing liquids from rigid, enclosed containers. More specifically, the invention relates to a device for securing a hand lift stroke pump to a container.
Many types of liquids are contained within and transported using metal drums. These drums are very useful in transporting these liquids due to the durability of the drums and the resulting prevention of leaks from damage done to the drums during transportation. These drums are normally cylindrical in shape, with a top and bottom lid permanently connected on either end of a cylindrical body. The top lid of a drum typically has a bung disposed within a bung opening that allows access to the contents of the container. In larger drums, this bung opening is a threaded opening extending upwards from the surface of the upper lid. Bungs used on these size drums have matching threads allowing them to be screwably mounted into the bung opening. Similarly, a pump for use in dispensing the liquid contents of the drum includes a threaded mating collar mountable to the threads of the bung opening. This mating collar ensures that the pump will be securely connected to the drum.
This type of threaded mating collar is not applicable for use on smaller drums, such as a five gallon drum, as the bung opening in such a drum typically has no threads mateable with the threads on the mating collar. Therefore, other methods for securely attaching a pump to the exterior of a smaller drum have been developed. One of these methods involves a securing rod extending downward from the spigot of the pump along the exterior of the drum. The lower end of the securing rod ends in a hook placed underneath the lower edge of the drum. When the drum is placed on a flat surface, the weight of the drum rests on the hook to produce a stabilizing effect on the spigot for the hand pump.
One problem with this arrangement is that the drum need be placed on a completely level surface for the drum to rest securely on the hook. Furthermore, as the securing rod and hook only prevent the pump from being pulled out of the bung opening of the drum, the pump still is able to move laterally within the bung opening, and this movement may make efficient use of the hand pump difficult, as the pump may continually slide to either side during use. The arrangement also involves problems in attaching the securing rod to the drum, in that the entire drum must be lifted at one end after the pump has been inserted into the bung opening to allow for the hook to be slid underneath the lower edge of the drum. Five gallon drums, while not being as large or heavy as 15 or 55 gallon drums, still weigh a considerable amount and the danger of having fingers and/or toes caught underneath the drum during attachment of the hook to the lower edge of the drum cannot be discounted.